Ultrasound imaging for tissue characterization to assess cardiovascular involvement in diabetes

我们已经开发了一个系统，分析超声射频信号的基础上混沌理论。该系统被用于分析从人体心肌导出的超声信号，以显示（1）如果心肌纤维化，则超声信号显示准周期而不是混沌性质，以及（2）如果心肌肥大，则超声信号显示混沌而不是准周期性质。高血压和/或糖尿病患者的心肌同时存在纤维化和肥厚，因此，我们的数据可以解释，基于混沌研究的超声射频信号分析提供了一个有用的指标，在这类患者的心肌结构。上述假设在本研究中得到证实，通过动物实验和临床实验。具体而言，我们建立了一个模型，其中心肌纤维化和心肌纤维化的组合导致左心室收缩和舒张功能障碍。在该模型中，心肌纤维化与心肌超声信号的准周期性质相关。另一方面，在肥厚心肌中，超声信号的混沌性质是明显的。在患者中，抗高血压药物的管理引起超声信号的混沌性质的不均匀变化。肥大的回归与相关维数（混沌性质的参数）的值的降低相关，而心肌纤维化的可能减少与相关维数的值的增加相关。

We have developed a system that analyzes ultrasound radiofrequency signals on the basis of chaos theory. This system was used to analyze the ultrasound signals derived from the human myocardium to show (1) that ultrasound signals show quasiperiodic rather than chaotic nature if the myocardium is fibrotic, and that (2) ultrasound signals show chaotic rather than quasiperiodic nature if the myocardium is hypertrophic. Both of fibrosis and hypertrophy are observed in the myocardium in patients with hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus; thus, our data may be interpreted that the analysis of ultrasound radiofrequency signals on the basis of chaos study provides a useful index of myocardial structure in such patients.The above-mentioned hypotheses were confirmed in the present research by using animal experiments as well as in clinical experiments. Specifically, we established a model in which combination of myocardial fibrosis and myocardial fibrosis causes in left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction. In this model, myocardial fibrosis was associated with a quasiperiodic nature of the myocardial ultrasound signals. On the other hand, chaotic nature of the ultrasound signals was evident in the hypertrophic myocardium. In patients, administration of anti-hypertensive drugs caused non-uniform changes in the chaotic nature of the ultrasound signals. Regression of hypertrophy was associated with a decrease in the value of correlation dimension (a parameter of chaotic nature), while possible reduction of myocardial fibrosis was associated with an increase in the value of correlation dimension.